Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

On Valentine's Day 1985, biologist Stacey O'Brien first met a four-day-old baby barn owl — a fateful encounter that would turn into an astonishing 19-year saga. With nerve damage in one wing, the owlet's ability to fly was forever compromised, and he had no hope of surviving on his own in the wild. O'Brien, a young assistant in the owl laboratory at Caltech, was immediately smitten, promising to care for the helpless owlet and give him a permanent home. Wesley the Owl is the funny, poignant story of their dramatic two decades together.

With both a tender heart and a scientist's eye, O'Brien studied Wesley's strange habits intensively and first-hand — and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl's lifetime). As Wesley grew, she snapped photos of him at every stage like any proud parent, recording his life from a helpless ball of fuzz to a playful, clumsy adolescent to a gorgeous, gold-and-white, macho adult owl with a heart-shaped face and an outsize personality that belied his 18-inch stature. Stacey and Wesley's bond deepened as she discovered Wesley's individual personality, subtle emotions, and playful nature that could also turn fiercely loyal and protective — though she could have done without Wesley's driving away her would-be human suitors!

O'Brien also brings us inside the prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animal they loved. As O'Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes important discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term "The Way of the Owl" to describe his inclinations: he did not tolerate lies, held her to her promises, and provided unconditional love, though he was not beyond an occasional sulk. When O'Brien develops her own life-threatening illness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal.

Enhanced by wonderful photos, Wesley the Owl is a thoroughly engaging, heartwarming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty. It is sure to be cherished by animal lovers everywhere.

Synopsis:

With heartwarming sentiment, biologist and owl expert O'Brien chronicles her rescue of an adorable, abandoned, baby barn owl--and their astonishing and unprecedented 19-year life together. Photos.

Synopsis:

On Valentineand#8217;s Day 1985, biologist Stacey Oand#8217;Brien adopted Wesley, a baby barn owl with an injured wing who could not have survived in the wild. Over the next nineteen years, Oand#8217;Brien studied Wesleyand#8217;s strange habits with both a tender heart and a scientistand#8217;s eyeand#8212;and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owland#8217;s lifetime). She watched him turn from a helpless fluff ball into an avid comand#173;municator with whom she developed a language all their own. Eventually he became a gorgeous, gold-and-white macho adult with a heart-shaped face who preened in the mirand#173;ror and objected to visits by any other males to and#8220;hisand#8221; house. Oand#8217;Brien also brings us inside Caltechand#8217;s prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animals they loved. As Oand#8217;Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes astonishing discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term and#8220;The Way of the Owland#8221; to describe his noble behavior. When Oand#8217;Brien develops her own life-threatening illand#173;ness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Enhanced by wonderful photographs, andlt;I andgt;Wesley the Owlandlt;/Iandgt; is a thoroughly engaging, heartand#173;warming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty. Translated into eight languages and named an andlt;I andgt;Audubon Magazineandlt;/Iandgt; Editorand#8217;s Choice, andlt;I andgt;Wesley the Owlandlt;/Iandgt; is sure to be cherished by animal lovers everywhere.

Synopsis:

This New York Times bestselling "sweet, quirky memoir" (USA TODAY) tells the "heartwarming story" (Publishers Weekly) of a biologist and the owl she rescued and raised.

A book of unforgettable emotional resonance, Wesley the Owl took the book world by storm, with a 4-star review in People and a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Stacey O'Brien's pioneering work about the emotional lives of owls is nothing less than enthralling.

When adopted, Wesley could not have survived in the wild. O'Brien watches him turn into a voracious carnivore (eating up to six mice a day), an avid communicator with whom she develops a language all their own, and eventually, a robust adult who preens in the mirror and objects to visits by any other males to "his" house. She makes important discoveries along the way, and tells how the playful, reasoning, and loving creature she set out to save ended up saving her.

Charting a unique partnership, Wesley the Owl is for animal lovers everywhere.

About the Author

Stacey O'Brien is trained as a biologist specializing in wild-animal behavior. She graduated from Occidental College with a BS in biology and continued her education at Caltech. Stacey now works as a wildlife rescuer and rehabilitation expert with a variety of local animals, including the endangered brown pelican, owls, seabirds, possums, and songbirds. She lives in Southern California.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

mya55, January 30, 2013 (view all comments by mya55)
This is a charming, true story about the lives of Wesley, a barn owl, and Stacey, the young woman who raised him in California. In telling their story, the author paints a fascinating, fact-filled, heart-warming mural of their relationship. Wesley has a unique personality. His unusual love of water and joy at playing in it was touching.

Melissa R, January 5, 2011 (view all comments by Melissa R)
You don't have to be an owl lover (although I am) to adore this book. I couldn't put it down -- laughed, cried, was educated -- and walked away much richer in my life because of it. Thank you, Stacey, for sharing your remarkable love story, and having the courage to impart the lovely life lessons you learned from Wesley. This book will stay with me always!

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(3 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
With heartwarming sentiment, biologist and owl expert O'Brien chronicles her rescue of an adorable, abandoned, baby barn owl--and their astonishing and unprecedented 19-year life together. Photos.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,
On Valentineand#8217;s Day 1985, biologist Stacey Oand#8217;Brien adopted Wesley, a baby barn owl with an injured wing who could not have survived in the wild. Over the next nineteen years, Oand#8217;Brien studied Wesleyand#8217;s strange habits with both a tender heart and a scientistand#8217;s eyeand#8212;and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owland#8217;s lifetime). She watched him turn from a helpless fluff ball into an avid comand#173;municator with whom she developed a language all their own. Eventually he became a gorgeous, gold-and-white macho adult with a heart-shaped face who preened in the mirand#173;ror and objected to visits by any other males to and#8220;hisand#8221; house. Oand#8217;Brien also brings us inside Caltechand#8217;s prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animals they loved. As Oand#8217;Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes astonishing discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term and#8220;The Way of the Owland#8221; to describe his noble behavior. When Oand#8217;Brien develops her own life-threatening illand#173;ness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Enhanced by wonderful photographs, andlt;I andgt;Wesley the Owlandlt;/Iandgt; is a thoroughly engaging, heartand#173;warming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty. Translated into eight languages and named an andlt;I andgt;Audubon Magazineandlt;/Iandgt; Editorand#8217;s Choice, andlt;I andgt;Wesley the Owlandlt;/Iandgt; is sure to be cherished by animal lovers everywhere.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,
This New York Times bestselling "sweet, quirky memoir" (USA TODAY) tells the "heartwarming story" (Publishers Weekly) of a biologist and the owl she rescued and raised.

A book of unforgettable emotional resonance, Wesley the Owl took the book world by storm, with a 4-star review in People and a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Stacey O'Brien's pioneering work about the emotional lives of owls is nothing less than enthralling.

When adopted, Wesley could not have survived in the wild. O'Brien watches him turn into a voracious carnivore (eating up to six mice a day), an avid communicator with whom she develops a language all their own, and eventually, a robust adult who preens in the mirror and objects to visits by any other males to "his" house. She makes important discoveries along the way, and tells how the playful, reasoning, and loving creature she set out to save ended up saving her.

Charting a unique partnership, Wesley the Owl is for animal lovers everywhere.

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and gifts — here at Powells.com.